Pet Peeves: The Doctor’s Office
Time for another installment of Shelly’s Pet Peeves, Vent, De-Stressing Session…whatever you want to call it. I need to get a few things off my chest in regards to visiting the doctor’s office. It’s enough to get my blood boiling at times.
We all have to visit a doctor’s office…some of us have to visit more often than others. If you’re relatively healthy KUDOS to you. For those of us who have to visit often…well…what can I say?
Today I wanted to vent, moan & groan about all of those things at the doctor’s office that get under my skin & piss me off. I think some of you can relate.
1. Please respect my time as I respect yours! I always show up on-time for my appointments. However, the majority of physicians these days are rarely on-time for appointments! Just like you…I’m busy and I have things to do. Those things could be another appointment, a run to the school to pick up my grandchildren or whatever. Ninety percent of the time you’re late!!!
2. After seeing you for several years and seeing you regularly I expect you to know my name and my past history. I’m not a newbie to you and I shouldn’t have to repeat things EVERY FREAKING MONTH. I understand you see a lot of patients but come on now…this is getting ridiculous!
3. If your office is routinely busy you need to make sure you have enough parking for patients in your parking lot. Furthermore, you need to make sure you have enough comfortable seating in your waiting room. Some of us are sick, disabled, etc. We can’t walk 6 blocks to get in your door and then stand there for 30 minutes when all of the seating is full.
4. Hire competent staff! The patient shouldn’t have to tell your staff how to do their jobs! We shouldn’t know more about the billing process, how to submit claims, how to properly write out the name of a medication, and so forth. When people are incompetent that’s how medical mistakes happen!!!
5. If you’re going to write me a prescription or give me instructions on how to take medication, prepare for a test, etc. please make sure I can read your handwriting! Geesh…I’m tired of guessing at what that paper says!
6. Foreign born doctors need to speak clear and concise ENGLISH. I understand you may have an accent and I don’t have an issue with that. I do take issue if I have to repeatedly ask you to REPEAT yourself because I can’t understand what you’re saying. Equally as bad is when you can’t understand me!
7. I really wish more doctor’s offices would split up their waiting rooms to a sick area and a well-check area. I get tired of sitting beside other patients who are hacking up a lung and spreading their germs all over your waiting room. You need to keep patients separated to help cut down on the spread of germs!
8. Call backs! If I call you after hours its because its an emergency. I’m not calling to talk about the weather. Please return my call quickly and in a reasonable amount of time. Taking 3-4 hours to return my call because you were at the High School seeing your kid’s play is ridiculous!!! Get someone else to cover when you need several hours off.
9. Respect my opinion. If I don’t want such and such treatment or to try such and such medication, or to see another doctor for a second opinion…that’s my business. I heard what you had to say….now hear what I’m saying!!! Respect me and my decision on my own healthcare!
10. When you receive complaints about your staff from patients you need to follow up! Don’t assume that the patient is always wrong and your staff member is always right. You need to personally follow-up and deal with the issue. Don’t farm it out to another staff member who may be biased. It’s important that medical practices take doctor reviews by patients seriously and look to rectify any issues, especially reoccuring or common problems.
11. We know you have bills to pay, salaries to pay and an office to run. But…was it necessary for your billing department to send me a snail mail bill for .42 cents balance? I mean…really? Is that cost effective? Geesh. Okay.
I could really go on and on about this topic. I would love to hear from you about some of the things that go on in a doctor’s office that really irk you off and get under skin!
